The California Assembly has advanced a resolution designed to help get trucks through metropolitan areas in the state as quickly as possible.

Lawmakers voted unanimously to send the bill to the Senate for further consideration. If approved there, it would move to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for his signature.

Designed as a pollution control measure, ACR23, introduced by Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, R-Cathedral City, would urge regional transportation planning agencies in consultation with cities, counties and the California Department of Transportation to develop commercial trucking routes that would provide for the most direct movement through a city. The work would be done in consultation with the cities.

The bill was amended in an Assembly panel so that it could apply to any city or county in the state.

The text of the measure on the legislative Web site says that it was being introduced to help reduce the time that trucks spend in city limits, and therefore reduce the level of pollution from truck emissions.